2016 mystery, first in its series. In 1908, the widowed Lady
Hardcastle and her faithful maid Armitage move to rural
Gloucestershire for a quieter life than London ca afford
There's an interesting trick here. Of course a period mystery has
to have the trappings of the age: servants, in particular. Some writers
use ahistorical attitudes to make their lead characters more
sympathetic. Kinsey manages to make it work by giving both his leads
wildly unusual, but just barely plausible, pasts: Lady Hardcastle was
widowed in China and the pair had to make their way to India on their
own, so their relationship has become firmly informal, Armitage grew
up as a circus brat before going ito domestic service, and can kill a
man with her bare hands. They are clearly people who would never be
expected to fit into Society, but Lady Hardcastle's status and wealth
mean that they are accepted anyway. Most writers, giving their
characters modern attitudes, don't mention that this is at all
unusual; this pair is recognised by their peers as Strange, which
makes them seem more real.
As we neared the door he caught up with me and put his hand on my
behind.
'I'm sure we have time to get a little better acquainted before I
see the inspector,' he said. 'What a pretty little thing you
arrgggghhh.'
Meanwhile, a hanged man shows up in the woods during a morning stroll,
and later the trumpeter from a ragtime band is bludgeoned to death
during an engagement party. A highly valuable gem goes missing. And an
awful lot of people seem to be a bit shady, one way or another.
'Was he the sort to "canoodle with doxies", miss?' said the
inspector.
'He was a trumpeter, Inspector. The prospect of canoodling with
doxies at parties was what got him to take up the instrument in the
first place.'
Perhaps there are slightly too many people involved for some of them
to come through as clearly as one might like, but the whole thing is
shot through with a great sense of fun; sometimes the classic crime
authors drop this, certainly their modern imitators do, but it's a
strand which was definitely present in the early days and, regardless
of its authenticity, it's very much to my taste.
'Clarissa's London friends are quite fun. They seem to have adopted
me as some manner of Eccentric Aunt figure so I'm not wanting for
respectful admirers.'
'Not a racy big sister, then?'
'Sadly not. I think my Disreputable Aunt years are well and truly
upon me. '
I discovered this quite by chance when checking on details of The
Green Eye of the Yellow God, the 1911 poem by Milton Hayes for this
the events of this book are notionally an inspiration. (Not a
spoiler.) But I shall certainly continue with this series.